In heating and air conditioning systems, heated or cooled air is delivered to registers in the various rooms of the building to be circulated in the rooms. Additionally, air is returned from the rooms to the heating or cooling unit. Currently, the heated or cooled air is transmitted from the main line of the heating and cooling unit to the registers through sheet metal conducts that are both inefficient for conducting the air and difficult to install. Air can also be returned via separate registers located within a structure. With these prior constructions, installation of a sheet metal register boot was typically a two-man job since the boot had to be nailed in place by one man as it was positioned from the other side of the floor or wall by another man. Additionally, the prior art register boots were made of multi-piece sheet metal construction having sharp angles and created a rigid structure. The multi-piece construction causes a source of air leakage from the boot along the seams and transverse seams also can restrict air flow. The sharp angles restrict flow of air through the boot register.
After the sheet metal register boot was installed, the various angled connections of the boot made it difficult to seal and the passage of air through the boot was inefficient because of the various angles in the interior wall of the connecting passage and because the various joints of the elbow forming the boot had to be separately sealed at an additional cost of labor. The modern building codes require the heating and cooling systems to be sealed to promote the efficiency of the units. The typical means of sealing register boot was painting the register boot or applying liquid sealant during installation. This step adds time to the installer's job and increases costs of installation.
The use of sheet metal register boots also increases the noise from the HVAC system. The sheet metal register boot expands, contracts and vibrates as air is conveyed through it. The sheet metal boot is typically nailed directly to the structure.
The present invention provides a boot that is more efficient for installation and is also more efficient for conveying air since it has a smooth, gradually transitioned surface for passage of air to or from the register. The present invention, being formed of flexible material such as rubber helps to isolate noise and vibrations in the heating/cooling systems from the structure of the building. When the boot is installed, it is self-sealing to both the duct and to the floor or wall of the building which will house a register.